ABU DHABI: Manchester City owner Khaldoon Al Mubarak has been ranked No20 in a list of of the world’s 500 most influential Arabs, published by Arabian Business.

Al Mubarak an aide to the Crown Prince of the UAE, he has also masterminded many of Abu Dhabi’s strategic investments and key development projects as well as overseeing City’s fast-track rise to champions of the Premier League.

None of the major players in the IOC or FIFA figure high in the list but at No64 is Hassan Al Thawadi, who led Qatar’s successful bid to land hostinhg rights to the 2022 World Cup.

Arabian Business praises Al Thawadi for “juggling this showpiece role with his other day jobs — the small matter of heading the legal department at the Qatar Investment Authority and at Qatar Holding.”

It adds: “Al Thawadi managed to find an answer to every problem thrown their way. In many respects, the win has already paid off. Billions of dollars of projects have now been signed off, which will help Qatar become perhaps the most advanced state in the Gulf by 2022.”

The highest-placed active sportsman is the Bolton and Oman goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi – the only Gulf footballer the Premier League.

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